Brad, so proud of you for laying it out there. By far my favorite vlog of yours yet. We can all relate to this and generally know what we should be doing but putting it all out there in one vlog is super helpful to a lot of people. I was trying to remember these things on my last trip to Vegas, which was kind of a bust...oh well. I know it'll come back around. I also appreciate that you stayed away from vlogging a bit when you were going through your rough February. Everyone has to have time for themselves. We want you to want to vlog, not be in the mindset of "I have to vlog" and I can imagine Feb. was that way for you. Bigger and brighter things ahead for you this year, Brad. So many good things happening and have fun in all your upcoming travels.
Wanted to thank you for keeping it real. Started playing poker again more seriously last year and just went through my first downswing - took a little break to study and get my mind right. All of your video are extremely helpful, the content is solid, and you are hilarious! You're by far my favorite poker vlogging ;) Thanks Brad!
This is truly one of the best videos about poker downswings that I have seen on UA-cam. The in session mental checks is something I have been doing for awhile now and it has been super helpful. Some other things that have helped me that weren't mentioned are exercise regularly, eat healthy, meditate, and write down 3 things you are grateful for everyday. These tips are not only helpful in poker but also life in general. Thanks for the great video Brad!
Thanks for the encouraging video. It’s nice to see I’m not the only one. I’m a small stakes player($2-$2 PLO and $2-$5 NLH) I lost $10k in a 3 week span. It was the most nasty downswing of my poker life. I am just a rec player but still crushed my soul. Just recently am starting to get out of it. Thanks again for the video!
This is a super well thought out and mature look at a downswing. i'm not a professional, but i do take poker as an extremely serious hobby. i too have been getting murdered a bit lately, and have struggled to classify it as a downswing, but that's what it is. i know that Variance is the enemy here sometimes, but i struggle to find ways to not blame myself in moments like these. leading up to this downswing, i'd been on a nearly 2 year uptick. (for a guy that plays 20-30 sessions a year) so. i've been beating myself up pretty badly over this. Thanks for the advice, and for talking it through in a really great way. thanks again for being open, honest, and real w/ us.
Downswings stink, because poker is an ego game. No matter how you slice it, within reason, we all think we're better than the people around us at the table. Sure, you'll play with people where it's a hobby for them and they just want to get out of the house. I think for the majority, we want to make money or cash in a big tournament. I had a monster downswing in April that really disrupted how I played. I went from playing 30-40 hours/week to about 4-6 hours/week. My main goal was to make on average $100/week for 52 weeks and I was on pace to exceed it and then I wasn't. Now I'm on pace to make $50/week for 52 weeks. I started to see-saw and the endless poker became a drag when it wasn't my primary income. The best month I've had since the downswing in April was $850 in a night in September, but then gave back $350 at the end of the month, due to getting cooler'd a couple of hands. We all have to figure out how to play through those hands where you get in good and someone else gets it in a little bit better. For me, I keep a mental note of how my hands are looking. What's been winning lately? Is it sets, boats, 2 pair? Or is it straights, flushes, gut shots, or gapped hands where I flop the straight with a flush redraw. What wins weekly or monthly is constantly in rotation. For a while AQ was my unbeatable hand, then it morphed into 10/8, then it morphed into QQ, then KK, then Q9. So I'm always tracking what's my hand of the week or month.
Mr. Brad Owen!!! I wanted to say thank you. I went on a long break of not playing poker due to not playing at an experienced level. I went into training videos and watched your videos endlessly until I felt confident enough to go back. I learned an enormous amount. The last 4 trips I've gone to play in this past month I've won over $1,900.00 including my very first, first place tournament win with a field of 52 players taking $1,000. If it wasn't for your videos I would have never went back to the tables to excel at a better level of playing. I will continue to watch your videos and wish you the bestest of luck!!!
I know it's late but congratulations! I've just started playing tournaments myself so I know how tough they can be compared to cash games, totally different beasts. Run good, man.
Even if you “play your best”, you’re still going to experience downswings. Ran into a few in my days. Just remember, “tilt is a poker players worst enemy”.
Mad respect. Big big kudos for the honestly and objectivity. That is something 99.999% of people don’t have the capacity to do. On the content, thank you so much... I’m a “serious hobbyist” that plays poker and has no job lol so take that how you will but the content was very helpful to me. Enjoy all the vids, thanks again
Thanks for sharing. One of your best vlogs. All these things seem so simple and basic. But it's so easy to forget them, when you're in the middle of it. I'm also just coming out of a rough Feb downswing. After a great beginning of the year. Great to see you back on the up! Sorry to hear about your personal stuff. Hope cosmo's good.
Loved this video brad. One of the reasons that I believe you're my favorite vlogger is because of how you think about the game. We may play different styles, but the basics of the game remain the same between us. You also help validate some of my thinking about the game and the ways in which you manage your tilt. Keep it up, hope to play with you the next time I'm in Vegas
Brad, This video is poignant and timely for me in my first real experience with a down swing. I'm 24-years old, and began cash games only in the last year. I started out well enough to consider myself the young pro, and local seniors of poker were appraising my plays. Then October hit. It has been eerie with fright, and I began to contemplate quitting. Thank you for the assurance that this shall pass! I would add, for anyone who sees this, that my experience shows that buying in for inconsistent amounts is not helpful. Starting in a tilt, or stacking enough to start as chip leader yield the same results when bad luck persists. From North Dakota, good luck on the felt! I'm eager to sit at a table with the vloggers whenever this pandemic subsides.
Excellent video Brad. I have to admit i have always liked your vlogs, but to a certain exctent. Can get the impression of it getting too polished and to the running good/winning every session kind of thing. I appreciate a down to earth video like this, where i as a viewer can get more nuances, and also that the vlogger shows some vulnerable sides of themself. Wich i believe we need more of in todays society, and for sure in the "glamourus" pokerworld as well. So yeah, big thumbs up man. Also want to mention one of my fav quotes by a famous pokerplayer (cant remember the name on the go here): "Before you can learn how to win, you have to learn how to lose". I think that is so true on so many levels.
Hang in there Brad - you are a great player and I've been following since the beginning and I appreciate your candor and insight to playing poker! You and Andrew have really helped my game - thanks!!!
Brad, 14 months ago I went on the worst downswing of my life. Minus 23k in 37 days. I took off from poker for almost a whole year and studied the game every single day. Since coming back 4 months ago I've won the most money of my life in Holdem and PLO cash games.. Yes I've had a few losing sessions in the last 4 months but I'm still plus 36k. I think the break and me studying every day greatly improved my game and elevated it to a whole other level. Nice video. Keep your head up.
Keep it up man. I"m in middle of my downswing at the moment and get my ass kicked over and over. Just taking a break from cash games and playing tournaments only to minimize my losses.
Really appreciate the honesty Brad! I’m mostly a cash game player, (met you at a MUG recently) but anyway if I’m going through a downswing I try to remain positive which I know can be difficult, and do something different like buy in to a tournament with good value, since my tourney strategy is a little different than cash game play, it can help re-shift or re-focus my thought process. And usually it’s a smaller $ risk for a decent reward (if I cash or win, then it sure helps the confidence level as well). Not sure taking a break all together is the best thing for me - - the cards don’t know you’re running bad. Definitely agree with booking small wins to “recoup”!! Keep grinding! 😎
Thanks for this video Brad. I've been going through my downswing the past month or so with MTT and you gave me a few good tips on things because I've noticed arguments with the Wife over SMALL STUFF. LIFE'S TO SHORT TO BE MAD. THANKS AN GL
Great job laying out the various aspects of downswing. Downswing in combination with life volatility, must be the worse, but you are getting stronger mentally and will end up in a better place. Keep focused!
One of the best videos you've ever produced, keep your head up buddy and take hold of your own advice. Super impressed with your discipline and understandings of downswings. Stay strong!
First, I'm really sorry for the tough time U went thru. I miss Cosmo too ☹ I'm also going thru a downswing in my 2-5 game. I appreciate the videos from U, Andrew, etc. U guys really put a lot of good stuff. Also remember the acronym H.A.L.T. If U are... Hungry Angry Lonely or Tired U should NOT be playing.
Thanks for the vlog and the sincerity of telling us about your run bad in poker and life. I love the vlog, love hearing from you. Keep up the run good. Take care.
Thanks! This vlog topic hit me just at the right time. I’ve been on a 6 session cooler which I’m sure most would say that’s nothing but I’ve not had more that 2 back to back losing sessions in recent memory. I’m in Arizona and only play low stakes 1-2 spread limit games (max bet is $100). The money I have lost has been poker winnings but I still hate to lose and I have really been wondering what’s wrong with me and my game. Just like you said I get stuck maybe a bit tilted, want to get unstuck so I open my range, play more hands and don’t get out soon enough even when I see the hand is going bad....then that forces a bluff to try and survive.....which in turn doesn’t usually work well. I’m going to take a break, read the suggested books and try and get my mind right and slowly get the $$ back. Thanks for sharing.
dude Brad ! I've just found your channel about 2 weeks ago and i just wanna say you are the man, man ! lol thank you so much for putting so much effort into providing such quality content. it has seriously helped me and apparently so many other people immensely 👊🏽👍🏽
Hey Brad Thanks so much for uploading this video I know for me personally and for my poker friends you’ve been a source of inspiration. Keep doing what you’re doing cause you help people learn and appreciate poker! That being said I study psychology and I couldn’t help but notice that you said during your time of success you were filming a lot but when you stopped filming the winnings dropped off and as a result poker wasn’t as fun to play. Understandably so. Id suggest filming again!... As you say - it’s distracting (that’s the reason you stopped in the first place) but nobody can deny that for whichever reason it seemed to help you win games of poker. Who knows, the success could be be due to the fact that you made better decisions while being distracted filming, bought about by less time/attention spent underthinking/overthinking hands and more time trusting your instincts. Give it a try, see how you go with it. Best of luck to you Bill
This was a great Vlog to watch after a day of run-bad. This Vlog gave me the right mind set to learn and not beat my self up. Had broadway and the nut flush draw and villain sucks out with full house on the river. My aces were busted by villain calling my opening pre-flop with 64 off. Thank you for your insight brad
I play with players like that too. The key to those players is, they typically have a deeper stack of cash in their pocket and like to catch up in hands. They're not poker players who typically like favored hands preflop. They like the 64 off, the 73 off, and all the gapper hands like 35, 75, 108, and so on. They like the hands that can be easily disguised behind someone preflop raising to $50 or $100 and then they smooth call. They already know they're likely behind, but their poker game is to catch up on the flop or hit those limited outs on the river, which typically guarantees a big payoff for them, because they're playing for the river, not always the flop or turn.
im not a poker player but am a professional blackjack player who currently is on a down swing and really appreciated this video and got a couple tidbits to help my game! thank you!
‘The Mental Game of Poker’ book is even better as an AUDIOBOOK. When you listen to Jared reading the words it feels like you are actually having a session with him mental coaching you. It is an awesome way to experience that book. I have both volume one and two on Audiobook.
Solid video. Thanks for the insight. I’m currently in a down swing and it stated when I was playing at your table in red rock when I lost w Kings to your buddy who drilled the nut flush on the flop to me. Hoping I can be out of the down swing soon !
Thanks for this. I was close to giving up on everything. I bought in at a 1/2 table for $100 and in 3 hours made $864 ($764 profit) and it was great. Went back next day, lost 300. No big deal. Next day, broke even. Now after a few days I'm at -$1000 and it just feels unreal. Like, I'm losing to garbage players, garbage hands. Its just sick. I don't know when it will end but I hope it's soon. Thanks brad. 🤘🏻
Thanks for sharing this when you're in the middle of your downswing. Very hard to do. Looking into your future, I see big cash pots, six-figure tournament scores, winning sessions with Phil Ivey and Doyle Brunson. Chin up and keep moving!
Getting punished the past few days so this was actually nice to watch. Sometimes when I'm downswinging really bad I just go on full on life tilt and nothing makes me happy. It is nice to know others go through it.
Watched this twice. Going through one of these now. See you Monday at Playground where i need to bag a win!!! Thanks for these videos, they are great to watch
Brad, excellent video and advice. My avatar is in fact my graph of a downswing I suffered a few years ago. And it happened during a relationship breakup. Thankfully, both my poker results and personal life have greatly improved since then.
As someone that went through a couple year period with a TERRIBLE mental state at the poker table, about 6 months ago I made conscious effort to maintain mental balance at the table and to not punt stacks out or boredom/irritation etc. Assuming that your skill alone allows you to be a winning player at the stakes you play, I think the mental aspect of the game is the single most important part of your win-rate when you play regularly. It's hard to teach this because it's an intangible, but I know people who are vastly more skilled that their counterpart yet they consistently make less money at the table because their mental game suffers. Staying in a clear mental state consistently can overshadow almost any leak you have in your game and allow you to consistently profit even if you aren't a "crusher" at the table.
Hey Brad. i really enjoy watching your video, i think i am experiencing a really bad downswing starting from the beginning of the month. Whenever i had KK, the opponent had AA, beat by set over set, and flush over flush. But the real problem is my play is getting more passive and i couldnt maximize my profit.
Great video, Brad! Since watching your videos my hourly has gone up exponentially! And I know it is because of your videos and advice. Thank you for all the great content!
I'm a full on rec player and I'm only up about $2500 for the year mostly playing $1-2 cash. Have played a little bit of $2-5, but I was a novice when I played it and gave away too much cash. During 1Q this year, I was up $3200 and then April came and I took a $1600 hit in a month. I like that you hit on some good points. During my downswing, I stepped up to $2-5 to try and recoup some losses. I've mostly just been going up and down. I created a spreadsheet, similar to yours, to where I can track which day, date, or month makes me the most money. I found that Sundays and Mondays were lean for me, so I don't play on those days. Been watching your vlogs, and you love AK. In my home town AK gets absolutely wrecked, so it's interesting to see how much value you put preflop into 2 over cards, suited or not.
Hey Brad, super useful video, I'm glad that you are out of the downswing now. Going to miss you guys in Montreal (I'm going this weekend instead of next weekend T_T, run bad), good luck at the MUG in Montreal
Brad, fan from when u had 1k, subs. Dude one of ur best vids yet! Props to u and thru everything u went thru. WIsh only the best and to possibly winning a bracelet this summer? who knows.! Cheers my brother
When I start running below Expected Value due to some bad beats, I go back and calculate what my stack would have been if I had gotten average luck, so AA vs KK I get ~80% of the pot even though they sucked out and I got 0%. When I run above EV, I just celebrate my good fortune!
Great vlog, thank you. I really appreciate the advice, I tend to play marathon sessions so I think that tip about the alarm will be of great use. Thanks a lot man!
Thanks Brad great info. I’m in my downswing now too and you’re right it happened once early last year. I’m actually played tighter and still lost, got drawn out on or AK AQ not hitting flop or after c-bet. Lost 5 sessions in a row, 12 buy ins. Lose big, win small is my usual. I’m taking a break and studying like you said. I know it turns around but it sucks now.
Hey Brad, great videos learning a lot. I was wondering if you have a video going over how to write down your hands in the moment. Maybe how you go about tracking them while at the table. Thanks man.
I just started following your vlog brad and absolutely love it! You have a lot of great content and I can't seem to get enough. One question I have is what app do you use to track your sessions?
As a rec player, I've been winning nicely since I started tracking it 9 months ago, I just had a "mini downswing." Ran bad, played bad. Big spots. Lost a few buyins in a game that I usually win or break even. Set over set, set to my tptk, flush to my set, JJ to my AK which won, etc. and mostly to one guy on my left that was either a genius and/or was just running hot. I couldn't win a single pot with him and he called 9/10 of my preflop raises with trash hands. He didn't miss a single draw when I had big hands (and i wasn't able to find a fold to his big river bets a few times, unfortunately). I was 2nd best every time somehow. Just blowing steam. Enjoy your evening.
It’s the Red Rock curse. I started playing 2-5 there when they first opened and they would have 5-10 running pretty often too, not much now. When I started playing there everyone thought I was Moses, I was winning every single night for months, tipping the cashier $20 dollars almost nightly. Than it came to a screaming halt, I went probably 3 or 4 years just breaking even never having a decent month. Win $200 lose $200 win $300 lose $300 and so on.
Thanks for the content Brad. I personally couldn’t do what you do. I enjoy the game of poker but I wouldn’t want the stress of doing it full time and trying to make a living off of it. Plus, I would definitely be broke if I tried to do that. Good luck with everything.
Trying to make poker my living. Grinding at 1/3. Profited 10k last month. Past week have lost 3k. Been absolutely brutal. Playing bad and getting unlucky. Starting to feel as if maybe last months 10k profit was just luck. Having 2nd thoughts about poker. But do not wanna go back to the 9 to 5. Thanks for this video.
Brad, poker players are human! Thanks for showing your human side. I have a best buddy too. He's my avatar his name is Marco. Sorry you lost your buddy. I truly enjoy your vlog. I subscribe to a couple poker vlogs and you and Neeme are the ones I look forward to watching. I do have a question; you said you study, what do you find to be the best study material? Keep up the good work. Sonny.
I heard that if you can't beat poker anymore (or never could) and you live in Las Vegas, you can actually just walk up and down the strip selling hats and that will fix everything.😜. Better luck buddy. Another great Vlog !
This downswing I’m on right now is insane literally seems like I can’t hit a hand right now lol. Before this past month I’ve been profitable just a tiny bit mainly because I like to play big variance. But this past month has been brutal I’ve been changing my game and trying to take a lot of the variance out of it but it’s still killing me. Every hand seems to kill me I’ve had pocket kings like 15 times in this downswing and been cracked everytime. I only play 1/2 and one of the time was a 1600 dollar pot preflop vs 88 against a player that was insanely drunk and just kept getting lucky all night vs everyone… I’ve decided that I’m gonna take a few month break, I play poker for fun and at this point it’s not even fun anymore which is why I’m taking the break.
Lmaoooo update decided I was playing pretty well and just getting pretty unlucky so decided to go back . Played at a pretty good table for 1/2 action wise got in a few buy in pot on the flop with JJ vs ATo on a rainbow board of 10 9 8 figured he was semi bluffing and call it off and he rivers a ace lol. Definitely need to just take a break at this point lol. No point of punting off my whole bankroll when I’m definitely a little tilted. I feel like I played pretty good today and just continued to get ran out on at this point I think I just need a break from poker I don’t play for a living I have a decently paying job that luckily allows me to afford the loses for the last few while but it just isn’t making me happy playing anymore
Good video. I've always applied #7 -- looking at my own graphs. I play almost strictly 1/2NL, and I have on a number of occasions dealt with $1K+ downswings. They really suck, but then I try to look at the big picture and realize that I'm still up over $15K lifetime.
Hey Brad, a lot of useful information here. I however disagree that maximizing money through game selection is sustainable forever. Sure you can learn through training sites, etc but learning in game vs. better opponents once in a while (recommended on an upswing/confidence levels are high) is infinitely more valuable. Slowly increasing your threshold for pain/discomfort will help in the long term!
Feel ur pain bruh, having a clear mind is very important...if ur stressed, and or if u have a nagging girlfriend it’s def gonna affect your play and ur game. I’ve been playin full time for 7-8 years and that was one of the biggest things I personally had to overcome and was the biggest factor in a few of my losses
Great vid - one the most honest bloggers out there. Didn’t hear you mention tighten your ranges. I feel the more more down swing the tighter the ranges. Even if that means 1 hand per hour.
The best thing I got out of the Rounders movie is when Matt Damon says "why swim in the same tank with the other piranha?". You mentioned that too in this video "don't play when there are a good number of regs in your table". I don't buy it when other people say you can't really learn nor improve much unless you play with these top players in your area. There are plenty of different ways to learn, UA-cam video being just one. Our biggest objective should be to hunt down the "fish" (not piranha :) and take their money.
The thing about rounders is its a movie that was made a long time ago. Now days theres far more pros and regs especially the higher the stakes you move up. It can be hard to make a really good living playing lower stakes games even if all the players are bad because they don't usually have the same type of money. So thats why people say sometimes you have to play with the best. Most line ups i've played at 5/10+ are usually 80% pros and 20% fish. Unfortunately you just have to tangle with the good players and if you aren't experienced enough playing with the best players in that area then you are just going to end up being one of the fish at that table. You can study all day long but if you aren't playing in games where you are applying all the more advanced stuff then you really aren't going to gain much from it.
My comments fall under the "how to avoid the down swings" in this video. I think it has more to do with risk/award and variances. I've played NLH at 1/3, 2/5 and 5/10 levels (with most hours spent on 2/5) and I'd pick the game on a certain day based on who are playing at the tables (granted, I probably know more than half the poker players in my city given how long I've been playing this). My thinking is if I can come out with a W playing with people I can easy exploit (using half of my brain power per se) versus playing with the guys that I can typically only beat when they have a good hand and I have a better hand, i.e. 2 pairs versus a set, then it's an easy choice to pick. In short, I think this is very much a personal preference. It all comes down to how much winning per month you feel is enough for your living, then gauge that against the level of risk/difficulty you have to face in the game to achieve that goal.
some solid tips, important content! Dealing with similar downswing as i start my poker travels / vloggy thing. I think i may employ the in-session alarm, i like that idea a lot. I do a similar thing with a visual cue on my chipstack for certain mental game things i want to work on mid-session; the alarm idea may be a better, more tech-savvy version of that! Glad you're out of it, capn.
On a downswing right now myself, not a pro by any means but a serious rec player...i think im dealing with it in an ok manner but man does it suck. Its my first real downswing. Before i watched this vid i already decided it was time for a break but nonetheless your video has some great points. I will be back in the game soon enuff. Thanks for the video and your vlog, good luck at your next sessions
Didn't hear a word you said at the beginning. All I could do was stare at the painting behind you. Miss the Poker Cat! Love that idea about the phone alarm remiders! Going to use that next session! Loved this vlog, but if you do another extended recording session, could you turn off the autofocus? As you moved around, the background kept moving in and out of focus. Glad you pulled out of the nosedive. Keep it up!
Poker is based on statistics and percentages no matter how good you are. Based on experience, I've lost big pots due to people sucking out on me and I did everything right. It's a part of the game and most that leave or give up on Poker because they can't bounce back from down swings. For me personally, I bring only a set amount to a session one or twice every couple of months. If lose, no worries, if I win cool.
Brad, so proud of you for laying it out there. By far my favorite vlog of yours yet. We can all relate to this and generally know what we should be doing but putting it all out there in one vlog is super helpful to a lot of people. I was trying to remember these things on my last trip to Vegas, which was kind of a bust...oh well. I know it'll come back around. I also appreciate that you stayed away from vlogging a bit when you were going through your rough February. Everyone has to have time for themselves. We want you to want to vlog, not be in the mindset of "I have to vlog" and I can imagine Feb. was that way for you. Bigger and brighter things ahead for you this year, Brad. So many good things happening and have fun in all your upcoming travels.
You’ve been running so bad I didn’t even skip the ad this time.
Lol, I appreciate that
That’s hilarious
Lmao. 4 yrs later amd it's still a funny comment 😄
"When it's not your day, it's not your day." Hardest lesson I've had to learn!
On a 6k down SWING myself I decided to take a couple months off starting to feel better about my life thanks for the tips brad
Do you play for a living? Or do you have a job?
Wanted to thank you for keeping it real. Started playing poker again more seriously last year and just went through my first downswing - took a little break to study and get my mind right. All of your video are extremely helpful, the content is solid, and you are hilarious! You're by far my favorite poker vlogging ;) Thanks Brad!
This is truly one of the best videos about poker downswings that I have seen on UA-cam. The in session mental checks is something I have been doing for awhile now and it has been super helpful. Some other things that have helped me that weren't mentioned are exercise regularly, eat healthy, meditate, and write down 3 things you are grateful for everyday. These tips are not only helpful in poker but also life in general. Thanks for the great video Brad!
Thanks Larry! Good additions.
Thanks for the encouraging video. It’s nice to see I’m not the only one. I’m a small stakes player($2-$2 PLO and $2-$5 NLH) I lost $10k in a 3 week span. It was the most nasty downswing of my poker life. I am just a rec player but still crushed my soul. Just recently am starting to get out of it. Thanks again for the video!
Zach Chinn plo hella swingy so can happen
@@jasonnelson5251Yea plo is more gamble. I would stay away from it
Go to a card room that you rarely or have never played at. It gives you a fresh start mentally.
Glad to hear you turned it around Brad. It’s also important for others to hear that variance is real and we all have to deal with it. Great vlog.
Thanks Lee, hope to see you at the next MUG
This is a super well thought out and mature look at a downswing. i'm not a professional, but i do take poker as an extremely serious hobby. i too have been getting murdered a bit lately, and have struggled to classify it as a downswing, but that's what it is. i know that Variance is the enemy here sometimes, but i struggle to find ways to not blame myself in moments like these. leading up to this downswing, i'd been on a nearly 2 year uptick. (for a guy that plays 20-30 sessions a year) so. i've been beating myself up pretty badly over this. Thanks for the advice, and for talking it through in a really great way.
thanks again for being open, honest, and real w/ us.
Downswings stink, because poker is an ego game. No matter how you slice it, within reason, we all think we're better than the people around us at the table. Sure, you'll play with people where it's a hobby for them and they just want to get out of the house. I think for the majority, we want to make money or cash in a big tournament. I had a monster downswing in April that really disrupted how I played. I went from playing 30-40 hours/week to about 4-6 hours/week. My main goal was to make on average $100/week for 52 weeks and I was on pace to exceed it and then I wasn't. Now I'm on pace to make $50/week for 52 weeks. I started to see-saw and the endless poker became a drag when it wasn't my primary income. The best month I've had since the downswing in April was $850 in a night in September, but then gave back $350 at the end of the month, due to getting cooler'd a couple of hands. We all have to figure out how to play through those hands where you get in good and someone else gets it in a little bit better. For me, I keep a mental note of how my hands are looking. What's been winning lately? Is it sets, boats, 2 pair? Or is it straights, flushes, gut shots, or gapped hands where I flop the straight with a flush redraw. What wins weekly or monthly is constantly in rotation. For a while AQ was my unbeatable hand, then it morphed into 10/8, then it morphed into QQ, then KK, then Q9. So I'm always tracking what's my hand of the week or month.
Mr. Brad Owen!!! I wanted to say thank you. I went on a long break of not playing poker due to not playing at an experienced level. I went into training videos and watched your videos endlessly until I felt confident enough to go back. I learned an enormous amount. The last 4 trips I've gone to play in this past month I've won over $1,900.00 including my very first, first place tournament win with a field of 52 players taking $1,000. If it wasn't for your videos I would have never went back to the tables to excel at a better level of playing. I will continue to watch your videos and wish you the bestest of luck!!!
I know it's late but congratulations! I've just started playing tournaments myself so I know how tough they can be compared to cash games, totally different beasts. Run good, man.
The struggle is real for us all Brad...keep grinding
Even if you “play your best”, you’re still going to experience downswings. Ran into a few in my days. Just remember, “tilt is a poker players worst enemy”.
Mad respect. Big big kudos for the honestly and objectivity. That is something 99.999% of people don’t have the capacity to do. On the content, thank you so much... I’m a “serious hobbyist” that plays poker and has no job lol so take that how you will but the content was very helpful to me. Enjoy all the vids, thanks again
Thanks for sharing. One of your best vlogs. All these things seem so simple and basic. But it's so easy to forget them, when you're in the middle of it. I'm also just coming out of a rough Feb downswing. After a great beginning of the year. Great to see you back on the up! Sorry to hear about your personal stuff. Hope cosmo's good.
Loved this video brad. One of the reasons that I believe you're my favorite vlogger is because of how you think about the game. We may play different styles, but the basics of the game remain the same between us. You also help validate some of my thinking about the game and the ways in which you manage your tilt.
Keep it up, hope to play with you the next time I'm in Vegas
Having a downswing myself. Thanks for the video!
Same. Misery loves company.
Both of you stop it right now!! before you also lose brads cat!!!
The types of players at your table is the most important factor to consider whether you should choose to play with and how to play against them.
The good ole days from Bradley, saw this day one. Hell of a ride my friend
Brad,
This video is poignant and timely for me in my first real experience with a down swing. I'm 24-years old, and began cash games only in the last year. I started out well enough to consider myself the young pro, and local seniors of poker were appraising my plays. Then October hit. It has been eerie with fright, and I began to contemplate quitting.
Thank you for the assurance that this shall pass! I would add, for anyone who sees this, that my experience shows that buying in for inconsistent amounts is not helpful. Starting in a tilt, or stacking enough to start as chip leader yield the same results when bad luck persists.
From North Dakota, good luck on the felt! I'm eager to sit at a table with the vloggers whenever this pandemic subsides.
Great stuff here Brad. Your humility will serve you well in the future. Bookmarked this blog for immediate review during my next inevitable downswing
Thanks Brian. Hope you don't need to review this video for a long time.
Excellent video Brad. I have to admit i have always liked your vlogs, but to a certain exctent. Can get the impression of it getting too polished and to the running good/winning every session kind of thing. I appreciate a down to earth video like this, where i as a viewer can get more nuances, and also that the vlogger shows some vulnerable sides of themself. Wich i believe we need more of in todays society, and for sure in the "glamourus" pokerworld as well. So yeah, big thumbs up man.
Also want to mention one of my fav quotes by a famous pokerplayer (cant remember the name on the go here): "Before you can learn how to win, you have to learn how to lose". I think that is so true on so many levels.
Hang in there Brad - you are a great player and I've been following since the beginning and I appreciate your candor and insight to playing poker! You and Andrew have really helped my game - thanks!!!
Brad, 14 months ago I went on the worst downswing of my life. Minus 23k in 37 days. I took off from poker for almost a whole year and studied the game every single day. Since coming back 4 months ago I've won the most money of my life in Holdem and PLO cash games.. Yes I've had a few losing sessions in the last 4 months but I'm still plus 36k. I think the break and me studying every day greatly improved my game and elevated it to a whole other level. Nice video. Keep your head up.
Keep it up man. I"m in middle of my downswing at the moment and get my ass kicked over and over. Just taking a break from cash games and playing tournaments only to minimize my losses.
Really appreciate the honesty Brad! I’m mostly a cash game player, (met you at a MUG recently) but anyway if I’m going through a downswing I try to remain positive which I know can be difficult, and do something different like buy in to a tournament with good value, since my tourney strategy is a little different than cash game play, it can help re-shift or re-focus my thought process. And usually it’s a smaller $ risk for a decent reward (if I cash or win, then it sure helps the confidence level as well). Not sure taking a break all together is the best thing for me - - the cards don’t know you’re running bad. Definitely agree with booking small wins to “recoup”!! Keep grinding! 😎
Thanks for this video Brad. I've been going through my downswing the past month or so with MTT and you gave me a few good tips on things because I've noticed arguments with the Wife over SMALL STUFF. LIFE'S TO SHORT TO BE MAD. THANKS AN GL
Great job laying out the various aspects of downswing. Downswing in combination with life volatility, must be the worse, but you are getting stronger mentally and will end up in a better place. Keep focused!
Currently in the biggest downswing of my career. Feels bad man. But this helps a lot. Thanks for keeping it real.
That's what I'm currently going thru, lost another thousand yesterday. Cooler after cooler! It sucks big time.
One of the best videos you've ever produced, keep your head up buddy and take hold of your own advice. Super impressed with your discipline and understandings of downswings. Stay strong!
This video helped a ton. Thank you so much. BRAD. PLEASE NEVER STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING!❤
First, I'm really sorry for the tough time U went thru. I miss Cosmo too ☹
I'm also going thru a downswing in my 2-5 game. I appreciate the videos from U, Andrew, etc. U guys really put a lot of good stuff.
Also remember the acronym H.A.L.T. If U are...
Hungry
Angry
Lonely or
Tired
U should NOT be playing.
Thanks for the vlog and the sincerity of telling us about your run bad in poker and life. I love the vlog, love hearing from you. Keep up the run good. Take care.
Thanks! This vlog topic hit me just at the right time. I’ve been on a 6 session cooler which I’m sure most would say that’s nothing but I’ve not had more that 2 back to back losing sessions in recent memory. I’m in Arizona and only play low stakes 1-2 spread limit games (max bet is $100). The money I have lost has been poker winnings but I still hate to lose and I have really been wondering what’s wrong with me and my game. Just like you said I get stuck maybe a bit tilted, want to get unstuck so I open my range, play more hands and don’t get out soon enough even when I see the hand is going bad....then that forces a bluff to try and survive.....which in turn doesn’t usually work well. I’m going to take a break, read the suggested books and try and get my mind right and slowly get the $$ back. Thanks for sharing.
A good vid man. It really shows mindset is very important and personal problems are so bad for your game.
That's a good message to take away from this. Thanks Jeroen.
dude Brad ! I've just found your channel about 2 weeks ago and i just wanna say you are the man, man ! lol thank you so much for putting so much effort into providing such quality content. it has seriously helped me and apparently so many other people immensely 👊🏽👍🏽
Awesome video Brad - maybe one of the best 'Poker Vlogs' yet in terms of real talk.
Hey Brad
Thanks so much for uploading this video
I know for me personally and for my poker friends you’ve been a source of inspiration. Keep doing what you’re doing cause you help people learn and appreciate poker!
That being said I study psychology and I couldn’t help but notice that you said during your time of success you were filming a lot but when you stopped filming the winnings dropped off and as a result poker wasn’t as fun to play. Understandably so.
Id suggest filming again!... As you say - it’s distracting (that’s the reason you stopped in the first place) but nobody can deny that for whichever reason it seemed to help you win games of poker. Who knows, the success could be be due to the fact that you made better decisions while being distracted filming, bought about by less time/attention spent underthinking/overthinking hands and more time trusting your instincts. Give it a try, see how you go with it.
Best of luck to you
Bill
This was a great Vlog to watch after a day of run-bad. This Vlog gave me the right mind set to learn and not beat my self up. Had broadway and the nut flush draw and villain sucks out with full house on the river. My aces were busted by villain calling my opening pre-flop with 64 off. Thank you for your insight brad
I play with players like that too. The key to those players is, they typically have a deeper stack of cash in their pocket and like to catch up in hands. They're not poker players who typically like favored hands preflop. They like the 64 off, the 73 off, and all the gapper hands like 35, 75, 108, and so on. They like the hands that can be easily disguised behind someone preflop raising to $50 or $100 and then they smooth call. They already know they're likely behind, but their poker game is to catch up on the flop or hit those limited outs on the river, which typically guarantees a big payoff for them, because they're playing for the river, not always the flop or turn.
im not a poker player but am a professional blackjack player who currently is on a down swing and really appreciated this video and got a couple tidbits to help my game! thank you!
Brad, Thanks for making this video. Variance is normal - glad you are handling it well.
I really like the alarms idea, as often I'll tell myself to play a short session and find myself forgetting to leave, etc.
Most casinos I've played at, if you're up in chips and you play for an hour, no one is going to look at you as a hit and run player.
‘The Mental Game of Poker’ book is even better as an AUDIOBOOK. When you listen to Jared reading the words it feels like you are actually having a session with him mental coaching you. It is an awesome way to experience that book. I have both volume one and two on Audiobook.
I'll have to check those out at some point.
Solid video. Thanks for the insight. I’m currently in a down swing and it stated when I was playing at your table in red rock when I lost w Kings to your buddy who drilled the nut flush on the flop to me. Hoping I can be out of the down swing soon !
All I can say is THANK YOU for this video. Your advice is greatly appreciated.
I'm glad you like it. Thanks man.
Brad your flippin awesome man! Glad I found your Channel - Happy New Years
Thanks for this. I was close to giving up on everything. I bought in at a 1/2 table for $100 and in 3 hours made $864 ($764 profit) and it was great. Went back next day, lost 300. No big deal. Next day, broke even. Now after a few days I'm at -$1000 and it just feels unreal. Like, I'm losing to garbage players, garbage hands. Its just sick. I don't know when it will end but I hope it's soon. Thanks brad. 🤘🏻
Thanks for sharing this when you're in the middle of your downswing. Very hard to do. Looking into your future, I see big cash pots, six-figure tournament scores, winning sessions with Phil Ivey and Doyle Brunson. Chin up and keep moving!
Getting punished the past few days so this was actually nice to watch. Sometimes when I'm downswinging really bad I just go on full on life tilt and nothing makes me happy. It is nice to know others go through it.
I hope all your flops are... good.
What's the 3 year update?
@@RodJeez Have played full time online cash since & got to the highest stakes available in the USA :) !
Brad, love your content and your approach to the game. Keep grinding bro, you and Neeme are the top vloggers, keep crushing!
Hope you're ok dealing with everything!!
Great video as always, much love all the way from Brazil
Thank you Gustavo!
So I know going back over all of these bad runs and bad beats are tough to discuss but it does help. Thank you!
Watched this twice. Going through one of these now. See you Monday at Playground where i need to bag a win!!! Thanks for these videos, they are great to watch
Brad, excellent video and advice. My avatar is in fact my graph of a downswing I suffered a few years ago. And it happened during a relationship breakup. Thankfully, both my poker results and personal life have greatly improved since then.
Downswings are especially brutal when dealing with personal issues simultaneously. I'm glad things have turned around for you.
Hey man, I appreciate this video. Puts a different perspective as well as the reality of being a poker pro. Keep up the solid content my man 👍👍👍
As someone that went through a couple year period with a TERRIBLE mental state at the poker table, about 6 months ago I made conscious effort to maintain mental balance at the table and to not punt stacks out or boredom/irritation etc. Assuming that your skill alone allows you to be a winning player at the stakes you play, I think the mental aspect of the game is the single most important part of your win-rate when you play regularly. It's hard to teach this because it's an intangible, but I know people who are vastly more skilled that their counterpart yet they consistently make less money at the table because their mental game suffers. Staying in a clear mental state consistently can overshadow almost any leak you have in your game and allow you to consistently profit even if you aren't a "crusher" at the table.
Hey Brad. i really enjoy watching your video, i think i am experiencing a really bad downswing starting from the beginning of the month. Whenever i had KK, the opponent had AA, beat by set over set, and flush over flush. But the real problem is my play is getting more passive and i couldnt maximize my profit.
Congratulations. Excellent job explaining all about poker downswing. Keep up the good work.
Great video, Brad! Since watching your videos my hourly has gone up exponentially! And I know it is because of your videos and advice. Thank you for all the great content!
I'm happy to hear that. Keep it up.
I'm a full on rec player and I'm only up about $2500 for the year mostly playing $1-2 cash. Have played a little bit of $2-5, but I was a novice when I played it and gave away too much cash. During 1Q this year, I was up $3200 and then April came and I took a $1600 hit in a month. I like that you hit on some good points. During my downswing, I stepped up to $2-5 to try and recoup some losses. I've mostly just been going up and down. I created a spreadsheet, similar to yours, to where I can track which day, date, or month makes me the most money. I found that Sundays and Mondays were lean for me, so I don't play on those days. Been watching your vlogs, and you love AK. In my home town AK gets absolutely wrecked, so it's interesting to see how much value you put preflop into 2 over cards, suited or not.
Good vlog. Tough stuff you are talking about here. Necessary.
Hey Brad, super useful video, I'm glad that you are out of the downswing now. Going to miss you guys in Montreal (I'm going this weekend instead of next weekend T_T, run bad), good luck at the MUG in Montreal
Brad, fan from when u had 1k, subs. Dude one of ur best vids yet! Props to u and thru everything u went thru. WIsh only the best and to possibly winning a bracelet this summer? who knows.! Cheers my brother
Haha, thanks Alex. Good luck to you man.
When I start running below Expected Value due to some bad beats, I go back and calculate what my stack would have been if I had gotten average luck, so AA vs KK I get ~80% of the pot even though they sucked out and I got 0%. When I run above EV, I just celebrate my good fortune!
Great vlog, thank you. I really appreciate the advice, I tend to play marathon sessions so I think that tip about the alarm will be of great use. Thanks a lot man!
Thanks for this one Brad. This is just as needed as any hand history! Cheers!
Thanks Brad great info. I’m in my downswing now too and you’re right it happened once early last year. I’m actually played tighter and still lost, got drawn out on or AK AQ not hitting flop or after c-bet. Lost 5 sessions in a row, 12 buy ins. Lose big, win small is my usual. I’m taking a break and studying like you said. I know it turns around but it sucks now.
"Awww Brad, she made off with your sheets. You know what gets me up when I'm feeling shitty? Rolled up aces over kings..."
Is that right?
Why is Wayne such a boss?
Hey Brad, great videos learning a lot. I was wondering if you have a video going over how to write down your hands in the moment. Maybe how you go about tracking them while at the table. Thanks man.
Yup table selection is probably the most underrated tip that makes u the most money
I just started following your vlog brad and absolutely love it! You have a lot of great content and I can't seem to get enough. One question I have is what app do you use to track your sessions?
As a rec player, I've been winning nicely since I started tracking it 9 months ago, I just had a "mini downswing." Ran bad, played bad. Big spots. Lost a few buyins in a game that I usually win or break even.
Set over set, set to my tptk, flush to my set, JJ to my AK which won, etc. and mostly to one guy on my left that was either a genius and/or was just running hot. I couldn't win a single pot with him and he called 9/10 of my preflop raises with trash hands. He didn't miss a single draw when I had big hands (and i wasn't able to find a fold to his big river bets a few times, unfortunately). I was 2nd best every time somehow. Just blowing steam. Enjoy your evening.
For me playing badly is more annoying than running bad. Nice vlog Brad lots of truth and good advice.
Same for me. Thanks Steve.
Thanks Brad, I'm going trough 1 right now. Thanks for all your help
It’s the Red Rock curse. I started playing 2-5 there when they first opened and they would have 5-10 running pretty often too, not much now. When I started playing there everyone thought I was Moses, I was winning every single night for months, tipping the cashier $20 dollars almost nightly. Than it came to a screaming halt, I went probably 3 or 4 years just breaking even never having a decent month. Win $200 lose $200 win $300 lose $300 and so on.
Thanks for the content Brad. I personally couldn’t do what you do. I enjoy the game of poker but I wouldn’t want the stress of doing it full time and trying to make a living off of it. Plus, I would definitely be broke if I tried to do that. Good luck with everything.
Trying to make poker my living. Grinding at 1/3. Profited 10k last month. Past week have lost 3k. Been absolutely brutal. Playing bad and getting unlucky. Starting to feel as if maybe last months 10k profit was just luck. Having 2nd thoughts about poker. But do not wanna go back to the 9 to 5. Thanks for this video.
lol $10g in 1'3 lol you better move to vegas fast lol idiot
Brad, poker players are human! Thanks for showing your human side. I have a best buddy too. He's my avatar his name is Marco. Sorry you lost your buddy. I truly enjoy your vlog. I subscribe to a couple poker vlogs and you and Neeme are the ones I look forward to watching. I do have a question; you said you study, what do you find to be the best study material? Keep up the good work. Sonny.
I heard that if you can't beat poker anymore (or never could) and you live in Las Vegas, you can actually just walk up and down the strip selling hats and that will fix everything.😜.
Better luck buddy. Another great Vlog !
Tom K trolling trooper you idiot. I would never dis Brad Love his vlogs Been a fan since day 1 Mind your own business clown
This downswing I’m on right now is insane literally seems like I can’t hit a hand right now lol. Before this past month I’ve been profitable just a tiny bit mainly because I like to play big variance. But this past month has been brutal I’ve been changing my game and trying to take a lot of the variance out of it but it’s still killing me. Every hand seems to kill me I’ve had pocket kings like 15 times in this downswing and been cracked everytime. I only play 1/2 and one of the time was a 1600 dollar pot preflop vs 88 against a player that was insanely drunk and just kept getting lucky all night vs everyone… I’ve decided that I’m gonna take a few month break, I play poker for fun and at this point it’s not even fun anymore which is why I’m taking the break.
Lmaoooo update decided I was playing pretty well and just getting pretty unlucky so decided to go back . Played at a pretty good table for 1/2 action wise got in a few buy in pot on the flop with JJ vs ATo on a rainbow board of 10 9 8 figured he was semi bluffing and call it off and he rivers a ace lol. Definitely need to just take a break at this point lol. No point of punting off my whole bankroll when I’m definitely a little tilted. I feel like I played pretty good today and just continued to get ran out on at this point I think I just need a break from poker I don’t play for a living I have a decently paying job that luckily allows me to afford the loses for the last few while but it just isn’t making me happy playing anymore
Good video. I've always applied #7 -- looking at my own graphs. I play almost strictly 1/2NL, and I have on a number of occasions dealt with $1K+ downswings. They really suck, but then I try to look at the big picture and realize that I'm still up over $15K lifetime.
Hey Brad, a lot of useful information here. I however disagree that maximizing money through game selection is sustainable forever. Sure you can learn through training sites, etc but learning in game vs. better opponents once in a while (recommended on an upswing/confidence levels are high) is infinitely more valuable. Slowly increasing your threshold for pain/discomfort will help in the long term!
Thanks man, I'm going through a downswing now and that helps!
You ever coming back to the hard rock in Tampa? Learned a lot of poker from you and my game has changed for the better and I learned from your videos
I would love to come back. Maybe in the fall.
currently going through a downswing, thanks so much for this video!!!
Feel ur pain bruh, having a clear mind is very important...if ur stressed, and or if u have a nagging girlfriend it’s def gonna affect your play and ur game. I’ve been playin full time for 7-8 years and that was one of the biggest things I personally had to overcome and was the biggest factor in a few of my losses
Thank you for sharing well said Brad 👍🏾👍🏾one of your best vlogs
Great vid - one the most honest bloggers out there.
Didn’t hear you mention tighten your ranges.
I feel the more more down swing the tighter the ranges. Even if that means 1 hand per hour.
The best thing I got out of the Rounders movie is when Matt Damon says "why swim in the same tank with the other piranha?". You mentioned that too in this video "don't play when there are a good number of regs in your table". I don't buy it when other people say you can't really learn nor improve much unless you play with these top players in your area. There are plenty of different ways to learn, UA-cam video being just one. Our biggest objective should be to hunt down the "fish" (not piranha :) and take their money.
The thing about rounders is its a movie that was made a long time ago. Now days theres far more pros and regs especially the higher the stakes you move up. It can be hard to make a really good living playing lower stakes games even if all the players are bad because they don't usually have the same type of money. So thats why people say sometimes you have to play with the best. Most line ups i've played at 5/10+ are usually 80% pros and 20% fish. Unfortunately you just have to tangle with the good players and if you aren't experienced enough playing with the best players in that area then you are just going to end up being one of the fish at that table. You can study all day long but if you aren't playing in games where you are applying all the more advanced stuff then you really aren't going to gain much from it.
My comments fall under the "how to avoid the down swings" in this video. I think it has more to do with risk/award and variances. I've played NLH at 1/3, 2/5 and 5/10 levels (with most hours spent on 2/5) and I'd pick the game on a certain day based on who are playing at the tables (granted, I probably know more than half the poker players in my city given how long I've been playing this). My thinking is if I can come out with a W playing with people I can easy exploit (using half of my brain power per se) versus playing with the guys that I can typically only beat when they have a good hand and I have a better hand, i.e. 2 pairs versus a set, then it's an easy choice to pick. In short, I think this is very much a personal preference. It all comes down to how much winning per month you feel is enough for your living, then gauge that against the level of risk/difficulty you have to face in the game to achieve that goal.
I always come back to this video when I'm running like shit lol.
some solid tips, important content! Dealing with similar downswing as i start my poker travels / vloggy thing. I think i may employ the in-session alarm, i like that idea a lot. I do a similar thing with a visual cue on my chipstack for certain mental game things i want to work on mid-session; the alarm idea may be a better, more tech-savvy version of that! Glad you're out of it, capn.
Thanks Brad, very helpful ! I'm on a down-swing right no also.
Thanks for the advice brad! I took a break from poker came back played much better.
On a downswing right now myself, not a pro by any means but a serious rec player...i think im dealing with it in an ok manner but man does it suck. Its my first real downswing. Before i watched this vid i already decided it was time for a break but nonetheless your video has some great points. I will be back in the game soon enuff. Thanks for the video and your vlog, good luck at your next sessions
Good luck getting out of it man!
Didn't hear a word you said at the beginning. All I could do was stare at the painting behind you. Miss the Poker Cat!
Love that idea about the phone alarm remiders! Going to use that next session!
Loved this vlog, but if you do another extended recording session, could you turn off the autofocus? As you moved around, the background kept moving in and out of focus.
Glad you pulled out of the nosedive. Keep it up!
I'm glad you like the Dog Poker Photo/Painting.
It looks good there!
Take care!
Bobby
Haha thanks man. I think it's awesome. It's been making its way around.
Brad you need to get Doug polk to come back to your place when you're getting the run bad.
The Bradley wave gets me every time 😂😂😂😂😂
Any suggestions for apps to keep track of sessions?? Great video by the way always enjoy to watch!
Good advice Brad. Thanks for the vlog.
Poker is based on statistics and percentages no matter how good you are. Based on experience, I've lost big pots due to people sucking out on me and I did everything right. It's a part of the game and most that leave or give up on Poker because they can't bounce back from down swings. For me personally, I bring only a set amount to a session one or twice every couple of months. If lose, no worries, if I win cool.